Successful Business Plan Packaged for Partners

“Entrepreneurs have big dreams.  They have ambition.  And they need a business plan to develop success,” says Bob Cerfalu Jr., president of Partners Packaging and Andrew Kurcsics, vice president in Tonawanda, New York. 

Bob and Andy should know.  Just two years ago they started Partners Packaging, a full service industrial packaging supplier which provides stretch film, packaging peanuts, bubble wrap, carton sealing tape, and corrugated boxes to over one hundred customers throughout Western New York.  The company is also certified by NELMA for international shipping of export crating and pallets to ISPM-15 specification 

While this may seem like an overnight success, both Bob and Andy will tell you that it was years in the making before they decided to launch in January of 2010. Prior to starting Partners Packaging,  Bob and Andy spent 20 years gaining experience as a general manager and sales representative in the packaging industry learning the various operations, building relationships, and researching resources needed to build successful small business. “Our mission is to provide a quality product at a competitive price with great service to our customers,” said Bob and Andy. 

The strategy seems to being paying off for Partners Packaging.  They quickly grew out of their first location and recently moved into a larger facility in North Tonawanda. Bob and Andy are quick to point out that without the help they received from the Niagara County Small Business Development Center’s (SBDC) Advisor Dinene Zaleski it would have been much more difficult to expand.  They received assistance in developing a formal business plan that enabled the partners to gain significant funding with a U.S. Small Business Administration  guarantee loan from M&T Bank. 

Partners Packaging’s product line, which included shipping supplies and janitorial supplies, was expanded with the funding and now includes basic wood products such as pallets, export crates, specialty pallets, blocking and bracing material. The company also offers value added programs like vendor managed inventories. This program allows the company to monitor customers’ inventories, request purchase orders, and provide delivery, with little customer involvement. Partners Packaging entered 2011 with seven employees, a new wood shop, expanded warehouse and an expected 30% growth rate.  

“When people think of the SBA, they associate us with our lending programs,” said SBA’s Buffalo District Director Franklin J. Sciortino. “The truth is that we also are a major funding partner of the New York State Small Business Development Centers, which allow us to provide the necessary and free business counseling services to company’s like Partners Packaging and other small businesses throughout Western New York. For Partners Packaging, the results have been nothing but outstanding.”

 “Partners Packaging growth and success is well above the industry average, evidence to their demonstrated business operations and management” said Frank Mergl, M&T Bank vice president.  “Today, operations run smoothly and benefit from Bob and Andy’s experienced leadership and mission to succeed.”

For more information on SBA programs and services, please visit SBA at www.sba.gov/ny/buffalo.